Senior Business Development Manager / Capture Lead

Sayres Defense•Washington, DC

11h•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior Business Development Manager / Capture Lead to drive growth across the U.S. Navy market. This role leads the full capture lifecycle for complex Navy opportunities, partnering closely with technical, proposal, and executive teams to secure mission-critical contracts supporting fleet readiness, fleet modernization, and warfighter capabilities. The ideal candidate has established Navy customer relationships, a strong understanding of Naval acquisition organizations, and a proven record of winning competitive US Navy contracts.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, or a related field.
8–12+ years of business development and capture experience supporting U.S. Navy programs.
Proven success leading captures and winning competitive Navy contracts.
Demonstrable existing relationships with Navy primes and acquisition offices.
Strong understanding of Navy acquisition processes and contract vehicles.
Excellent executive-level communication and relationship-building skills.
Ability to lead cross-functional teams in fast-paced capture environments.
Active Secret security clearance

Responsibilities

Lead capture efforts for high-value Navy opportunities, including IDIQ task orders and single-award contracts.
Identify, qualify, and shape opportunities aligned with Navy mission priorities (e.g., readiness, sustainment, digital modernization).
Develop and execute capture plans, win strategies, competitive assessments, and pricing approaches.
Lead bid/no-bid reviews and briefings with senior leadership.
Build and maintain trusted relationships with Navy stakeholders, including but not limited to: PEOs and PMOs NAVSEA, NAVAIR, SPAWAR / NAVWAR ONR, NAVFAC, Fleet commands, and SYSCOMs
Represent the company at Navy industry days, technical exchanges, and acquisition briefings.
Track Navy budgets, acquisition forecasts, and emerging requirements.
Identify and manage teaming partners, primes, and subcontractors aligned with Navy requirements.
Assist in the negotiation of teaming agreements and workshare arrangements.
Recommend prime vs. subcontract strategies based on customer and vehicle positioning.
Collaborate with proposal managers and solution architects to develop compliant, compelling Navy-focused proposals.
Contribute to executive summaries, management approaches, and past performance narratives.
Support transition planning from contract award through program kickoff.
Maintain an accurate Navy-focused opportunity pipeline using Sayres' CRM and other market intelligence tools.
Provide capture status, revenue forecasts, and risk assessments to executive leadership.